Seismic design of liquid-containing concrete structures

per ACI Standard 350.3

J.A. Munshi
STS Consultants, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
N.A. Legatos
Preload, Inc. Hauppauge, NY 11788

ABSTRACT: The new ACI Code 350-01/350.R-01, Code Requirements for

Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures, has greatly expanded the seismic
design provisions of the previous edition, ACI 350-89, in two ways: (1) through the
adoption of Chapter 21 of ACI 318 in ACI 350 (Special Provisions for Seismic
Design), and (2) the drafting of detailed seismic analysis guidelines in a separate
Standard, ACI 350.3/350.3R (Seismic Design of Liquid-Containing Structures).
As a result of this approach, the two documents, ACI Standard 350.3/350.3R and Chapter 21 of
ACI 350, fill a real need for the profession. They equip the practicing engineer with a practical
and reliable tool for analyzing and designing liquid-containing concrete structures of all types
(circular and rectangular, prestressed and non-prestressed) to resist earthquakes.
1 INTRODUCTION
The seismic design provisions of the previous (1989) edition of ACI 350 were very limited in
scope. The five paragraphs of Section 2.9.4 provided only a general description of the
fundamental principles, while referring to two other documents for further guidance.
The industry standards offering detailed guidelines for the seismic design of circular concrete
tanks have been: AWWA D110 for prestressed, wire-wrapped tanks (since 1986); and AWWA
D115 for prestressed concrete tanks stressed with tendons (since 1995). The national model
building codes and standards, and specifically IBC, UBC, SBC, BOCA and ASCE-7, have either
refrained from covering the seismic design of liquid-containing structures, or have provided only
simple, static -force equations for calculating base shears.
ACI 350.3 covers all types of concrete tanks (prestressed and non-prestressed, circular and
rectilinear). This new ACI Standard presents a practical, how-to - and yet rigorous - guide to
supplement Chapter 21 of ACI 350; and equips the practicing engineer with a comprehensive,
practical and reliable tool for analyzing and designing liquid-containing concrete structures of all
types to resist earthquakes.

Paper 007

2 DYNAMIC MODELING
Methods of seismic analysis of tanks, currently adopted by a number of industry standards, have
evolved from earlier analytical work [Jacobsen 1949, Housner 1956, 1963a and 1963b, Haroun
1984, 1985, 1994, Veletsos 1974 and 1997]. Of these, the best known is Housners pioneering
work as published in the early 1960s in the Atomic Energy Commissions (now NRC) Technical
Information Document (TID) 7024.
ACI 350.3 utilizes the above references, particularly the Housner method. This method essentially
assumes that hydrodynamic effects due to seismic loading can be evaluated approximately as the
sum of the following two parts:
1. The impulsive part, which represents the portion of the stored liquid that moves in
unison with the structure and,
2. The convective part, which represents the effect of the sloshing action of the liquid.
Figure 1a shows the typical schematic of a rectangular tank with length L, width B, liquid height
HL. Figure 1b It represents the dynamic model of a typical tank (circular or rectangular), in which
the impulsive portion of W L (WI) is assumed to be rigidly attached to the tank wall at height h I,
while the convective portion (WC) is attached to the structure by springs of finite stiffness and
damping at height h C. For concrete tanks with relatively thick, rigid walls and roof, this results in
a two degree-of-freedom system The impulsive and the convective components have periods
associated with them that are generally far apart. The total approximate response of the system
can be estimated by the square-root-of-the-sum-of-the-squares (SRSS) combination of the
responses of the two components.
2.1 Period of Vibration
The equations for determining the periods TI and TC of rectangular and circular liquid-containing
structures having different base condit ions are given below. However, it is permitted to use any
other rational methods that include a reasonable distribution of mass and stiffness characteristics
for determining the natural period of the structure.
As most concrete tanks are relatively rigid, TI may be taken as 0.3s or less for the preliminary and
approximate design calculations. It is recommended that for flexible base tanks, TI should not
exceed 1s for anchored and unanchored contained tanks and 2 s for unanchored uncontained
tanks. The purpose of these recommended limits is to prevent excessive deformations.
2.1.1 Rectangular Tanks
The following general equation can be used for determining the impulsive period of a rectangular
tank:

TI = 2

WT
gK

For fixed base, free top rectangular tank walls with a minimum length-to-height ratio B/HW 2, K
is given as follows:
K=

Ec tw

4 10 6 h

WT = WW + WR + WI
where h = mean height at which the inertia force of the tank and its contents is assumed to act,
(m); tw = wall thickness (mm); Ec = modulus elasticity of concrete (Mpa); g = acceleration due to
gravity (9.81 m/s2 ); WW = weight of tank wall; WR = weight of roof; and WI = weight of impulsive
component, [all in (kN)].
The period associated with the convective component (TC) can be determined as follows:

TC =

2
L

where L = length of rectangular wall (parallel to the action of the earthquake) (m); and factor 2/
is a function of the ratio L/HL , and can be obtained from ACI 350.3-01, Figure 9.5.
2.1.2 Circular Tanks
(a) Non-sliding Base (Types 1.1, 1.2, 2.1 and 2.2 from ACI 350.3). The following general
procedure can be used for determining the impulsive period of fixed or hinged base circular tanks
with or without prestressing:

TI =

2
I

3
1 10 EC
I = CL
HL
C

C L = CW

tw
10R

c = mass density of concrete (2.4 kN-sec2 /m2 ), tw = wall thickness (mm); HL = maximum liquid
depth (m); and R = radius of tank (m). CW for different D/HL ratios is given in ACI 350.3-01,
Figure 9.10.
(b) Sliding Base (Type 2.3 from ACI 350.3). The following general method can be used to
determine the impulsive period TI of flexible (sliding)-base circular prestressed tanks:

TI =

8WT
gDk a

where WT = WW + WR + WI

AS ES cos2 2G p w p L p
k a = 144
+

LS S b
t p S p

For anchored flexible tanks

2G p w p L p
k a = 144

t p S p

For unanchored flexible tanks

where, As = cross-sectional area of base cable/strand (mm2 ); Es = modulus of elasticity of

cable/strand (MPa); = angle of cable/strand with horizontal; Ls = effective length of cable/strand
taken as sleeve length plus 35 times the diameter (mm); S b = spacing between cable sets (mm); S p
= spacing of elastomeric pads (mm); Gp = shear modulus of elastomeric pads (MPa); tp =
thickness of elastomeric bearing pad (mm); Lp = length of individual elastomeric pad (mm); and
wp = width of elastomeric pad in radial direction (mm). Note that, for flexible -base tanks (Type
2.3), ACI 350.3 sets an upper limit of 1.25 s on the period TI.
The convective period TC =

2
D

where D = tank diameter (m); and factor 2/ for a given D/HL ratio can be obtained from ACI
350.3-01, Figure 9.9.

3 STEP-WISE DESIGN PROCEDURE

The provisions of ACI 350.3-01 are geared for and compatible with UBC 1994. Note that ACI
350-01 refers to ACI 318-95 for most of its design provisions and load combinations. Section
21.2.1.7 of ACI 350-01 indicates that the environmental durability factor (S) defined in 9.2.8 need
not be applied to load combinations that include earthquake effects.
3.1 Lateral Forces
The inertia, impulsive and convective forces to be applied on the walls of rectangular and circular
tanks can be determined as follows:
Wall Inertia PW = ZIC I

Impulsive PI = ZIC I

WW
W
, Roof Inertia PR = ZIC I R
RW I
RW I

WI
,
RW I

Convective PC = ZIC C

WC
RW C

where Z = seismic zone factor from UBC 1994, Table 16-I, or ACI 350.3-01, Table 4(a); I =
importance factor; RW I and RW C are response modification factors (Table 1); WW , WR , WI and WC ,
respectively, represent the wall and roof weights, and the weights of the impulsive and
convective components of the liquid [all in kN]. The impulsive weight WI and convective weight
WC are expressed as fractions of the total weight of the contained liquid, W L, according to Figure
2. A similar figure is given in ACI 350.3-01 for circular tanks.
CI and CC are period-dependent spectral amplification factors determined as shown below.
Impulsive factor CI, per UBC 1994 and ACI 350.3-01:

CI =

CI = 2.75 for TI TS

1.25S
for TI > TS
TI2 / 3

For soil type 1 (soil profile coefficient S 1 ), TS can be conservatively taken as 0.3s. For other soil
types, TS can more accurately be determined from the design spectrum given in UBC 1994, Figure
16-3.
Convective factor CC:

Per UBC 1994,

CC = C =

Per ACI 350.3, CC =

6S
TC2

1.25S
TC2 / 3

(for TC 2.4 s)

3.2 Total Base Shear

VI =

ZIC I
(WW + WR + WI ) = (PW +PR+ PI)
RW I

Impulsive

VC =

ZICC
(WC ) = PC
RW C

Convective

Total base shear VT = VI + VC

2

3.3 Total Overturning Moment

M I = (PW hW +PRh R + PIh I)

Impulsive

M C = PCh C

Convective

Total overturning moment M T = M I + M C

where hW and hR are the distances from the base of the tank to the centers of gravity of the wall
and roof respectively; and h I and h C are the heights at which the impulsive and convective lateral
forces are assumed to act. Charts to determine h I and h C are given in ACI 350.3-01, Figure 9.3 for
rectangular tanks and Figure 9.7 for circular.
2

3.4 Response Spectrum Method

The lateral forces on the tank can also be determined from a design response spectrum such as the
one given in UBC 1994, Figure 16-3, in which a 0 represents the specified ground acceleration
expressed as a fraction of the acceleration due to gravity, g. The design base shear is determined
using this spectrum as follows:

aI
(W + WR + WI )I
RW I W
a
VC = C (WC )I
RW C
VI =

Impulsive
Convective

Total base shear VT = VI + VC

where a I and a C are the impulsive and convective spectral accelerations, respectively,
corresponding to the impulsive and convective periods TI and TC in the design response spectrum,
(a I = CIa 0 and a C = CCa 0 ).
2

4 COMPARATIVE BASE SHEARS - EXAMPLE

The example [Munshi, 2002] illustrates the use of the ACI 350.3 provisions in conjunction with
UBC 1994, and also extends the concepts of these provisions to UBC 1997 and IBC 2000. The

base shears derived on the basis of UBC 1994 and UBC 1997 are quite comparable [664 kN and
627 kN respectively, (Table 2 below)]. On the other hand, when computed solely in accordance
with ACI 350.3-01, the base shear increases to 726 kN which, incidentally, compares well to the
713.0 kN derived from the simplified, rigid-structure provisions of UBC 1997. This increase is
primarily due to the reduction in the response modification factor, RW , for the convective
component, from RW = 2.75 to RW C = 1.0. The base shear computed per IBC 2000 is 611 kN.

5 CONCLUDING REMARKS
The new ACI Code 350-01/350.R-01, Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering
Concrete Structures, has greatly expanded the seismic design provisions of the previous edition,
ACI 350-89, in two ways: (1) through the adoption of Chapter 21 of ACI 318 (Special
Provisions for Seismic Design), and (2) through the drafting of detailed seismic analysis
guidelines in a separate Standard, ACI 350.3-01/350.3R-01 (Seismic Design of LiquidContaining Concrete Structures). These two documents fill a real need for the profession in that
they equip the practicing engineer with a practical and reliable tool for analyzing and designing
liquid-containing concrete structures for earthquake forces. It should be noted, however, that the
current ACI 350.3-01 provisions are compatible only with UBC 1994 based on service-level
earthquake design. See reference 20 for design of tanks according to the UBC 1997 and IBC
2000.

6 REFERENCES
ACI Committee 350R-89, Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures, American Concrete
Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 1989
ACI Committee 350, Seismic Design of Liquid-Containing Concrete Structures (ACI 350.3-01)
and Commentary (ACI 350.3R-01), American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, MI, 2001.
ACI Committee 350, Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures
(ACI 350-01) and Commentary (ACI 350R-01), American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills,
MI, 2001
AWWA Standard for Wire- and Strand-Wound, Circular, Prestressed Concrete Water Tanks,
ANSI/AWWA D110-95, 1995
AWWA Standard for Circular Prestressed Concrete Water Tanks With Circumferential
Tendons, ANSI/AWWA D115-95, 1995
Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures, ASCE 7-98, American Society for
Civil Engineers, New York, 1998.
International Building Code, International Code Council, Falls Church, VA, March 2000.
Uniform Building Code, International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), Whittier, CA,
1994, 1997.
Standard Building Code, Southern Building Code Congress International, Birmin gham, AL,
1997.
The BOCA National Building Code, Building Officials and Code Administrators International,
Country Club Hills, IL, 1996.
Haroun, M. A., 1984, Stress Analysis of Rectangular Walls Under Seismically Induced
Hydrodynamic Loads, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, Vol. 74, No. 3, pp 10311041, June 1984
Haroun, M. A., and Ellaithy, H. M., 1985, Seismically Induced Fluid Forces on Elevated
Tanks, Journal of Technical Topics in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Vol. III, No. 1, pp. 1-15,
December 1985

Haroun, M. A. and Housner, G. W., 1994, "Seismic Design of Liquid Storage Tanks, Journal of
the Technical Councils of the ASCE, Proceedings of the American Society of Civil Engineers,
ASCE, Vol. 107, No. TCI, 1994, pp. 191-207.
Housner, G. W., 1956, Limit Design of Structures to Resist Earthquakes, Proceedings, World
Conference on Earthquake Engineering, University of California, Berkley, pp.5-1 to 5-13, 1956
Housner, G. W., 1963a, "The Dynamic Behavior of Water Tanks, Bulletin of the Seismological
Society of America, Vol. 53, No. 2, 1963, pp. 381-387.
Housner, G.W., 1963b, Dynamic Pressure on Fluid Containers, Technical Information (TID)
Document 7024, Chapter 6, and Appendix F, U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, 1963
Jacobsen, L. S., 1949, Impulsive Hydrodynamics of Fluids Inside a Cylindrical Tank, and of a
Fluid Surrounding a Cylindrical Pier, Bulletin, Seismological Society of America, El Cerrito, CA,
Vol. 39, 1949, pp189-204
Munshi, J. A., 2002, Design of Liquid -Containing Concrete Structures for Earthquake Forces,
EB219, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, IL, 2002.
Veletsos, A. S., 1974, "Seismic Effects in Flexible Storage Tanks, Proceedings, International
Association for Earthquake Engineering, Rome, Italy, 1974, pp. 630-639.
Veletsos, S. A., and Shivakumar, P., 1997, Dynamic Response of Tanks Containing Liquids or
Solids, Computer Analysis and Design of Earthquake Resistant Structures, Computational
Mechanics Publications, Earthquake Engineering Series, V. 3, 1997, D. E. Beskos and S. A.
Anagnostopoulos, ed.

Table 1 - Response Modification Factor, R w [Table 4(d), ACI 350.3-01]

Rwi
On or
Type of Structure
Above
Buried(1)
Rwc
Grade
(a) Anchored, flexible -base tanks
4.5
4.5(2)
1.0
(b) Fixed or hinged-base tanks
2.75
4.0
1.0
(c) Unanchored, contained or uncontained tanks (3)
2.0
2.75
1.0
(d) Elevated Tanks
3.0
-1.0
(1) Buried tank is defined as a tank whose maximum water surface is at or below ground level.
(2) Rwi = 4.5 is the maximum Rwi value permitted.
(3) Unanchored, uncontained tanks shall not be built in Zone 2B or higher.

Table 2 Comparison of results based on UBC 1994, ACI 350.3 and UBC 1997
Computed Base Shears, kN
UBC 1994/ACI 350.3-01
UBC 1997
Base
Shear
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
VI
658
658
---625
VC
92
308
---53
VT
664
726
463
627
(1) Using UBC 1994 with RW I =RW C = RW = 2.75, and C I = CC = C = 1.25S/TC2/3
(2) Using ACI 350.3-01 with RW I and RWC per Table 1; and CC = 6S/TC2
(3) Using the rigid-structure equation of UBC 1994, Section 1632.3, Eq. (32-1)
(4) Using the Static Force Procedure of UBC 1997, Section 1630.2
(5) Using the rigid-structure equation of UBC 1997, Section 1634.3, Eq. (34-1)

(5)
------713

Fig. 1 -- Dynamic model of tank

1.0
0.9

Wc /WL

WI /WL & WC /WL

0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3

Wi /WL

0.2
0.1
0.0
0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

L/HL RATIO

Fig. 2 -- Chart for computing impulsive and convective weights